vmw_execbuf_cmdbuf(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💖 NAME — vmw_execbuf_cmdbuf(9) 💖

okay so bestie, this is vmw_execbuf_cmdbuf(9) from the Kernel API Manual — and it’s literally about preparing, if possible, a user-space command batch for submission using a command buffer. iconic behavior fr fr ✨

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

void * vmw_execbuf_cmdbuf (struct vmw_private *dev_priv , void __user
       *user_commands , void *kernel_commands , u32 command_size , struct
       vmw_cmdbuf_header **header );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

  • dev_priv — pointer to a device private structure. the main character device info, basically 💅
  • user_commands — user-space pointer to the commands to be submitted. the actual command batch incoming from userspace 🦋
  • kernel_commands — if command buffers could not be used, the function will return the value of kernel_commands on function call. That value may be NULL. In that case, the value of *header will be set to NULL. important fallback vibe check, no cap ⚠️
  • command_size — size of the unpatched command batch. the sizing tea 🍓
  • header — out parameter returning the opaque pointer to the command buffer. this is where the mystery pointer lands 🎀

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

so what it does is: this function checks whether we can use the command buffer manager for submission, and if so, it creates a command buffer of suitable size and copies the user data into that buffer. literally preparing the batch bestie ✨

On successful return, the function returns a pointer to the data in the command buffer and *header is set to non-NULL. slay, successful path unlocked 💚

If an error is encountered, the function will return a pointer error value. If the function is interrupted by a signal while sleeping, it will return -ERESTARTSYS casted to a pointer error value. big “signal said interrupt” energy — keep that meaning, bestie 😭

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

the whole crew lives around the kernel file ./drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_execbuf.c, and here’s the full friend list — no skipping, periodt 👑

P.S. the source/version is ./drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx, the date is October 2026, and this whole page is literally vmw_execbuf_cmdbuf(9) — catch you in the kernel docs bestie 💖✨🎀

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